Poem: "Listen. I will say this only once"

Listen. I will say this only once—           in your language—

tonight’s special is a spring quartet         with pinto beans,

capers, bell peppers, wild onions            and a lemon source.

You can have either a tambourine          or a side of basilisk

but not both. I advise the basilisk.          For drinking I have

a medium-bodied Hungarian tune           from lost-and-found.

I also have a delicious Sangiovese         but it is not for you.

There are three desserts tonight.            Yes, quite a spread.

An American confection, heavy,            sweet and empty,

nine hundred and eighty calories            minus the Yiddish,

a fruit tart in a major chord called           The Less Deceived

and a slow crumble with Chinese           characteristics.

You need a minute? Take an hour.         Take the whole night

if you wish. Just don’t you dare to          ask me to repeat.

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